Talks focus on improving Sino-US ties

Steering China-US ties back on track and keeping collaboration afloat were high on the agenda of the latest talks between the two countries' senior diplomats on Monday, which analysts said showed that both sides are aware of the consequences of the tense, frayed ties.

They made the observation after State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation on Monday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over China-US ties.

It was the highest level of diplomatic talks on the relations since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held last month.

The ties between the world's two largest economies saw tension soaring this year after provocative visits to Taiwan by US lawmakers and hostile moves by the US that targeted China in various areas.

Pushing the bilateral ties back on the track of steady development will not only serve the common interests of both countries, but also meet the "widespread expectations in the international community", said Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Washington should stop containing and suppressing China and stop creating fresh obstacles for the bilateral ties, he said.

Following Washington's recent bans on semiconductors and chips exports to China, Wang said these bans put a limit on investment in China, severely violate rules of free trade, seriously damage China's rights and interests and must be corrected.

The recently concluded 20th CPC National Congress and the report delivered at the gathering were also high on the agenda of Monday's talk.

Blinken said the US side closely tracked the congress and the report.

Wang said an important message that the gathering provided to the outside world is that China will stay true to its diplomatic policy and tenets of upholding world peace and promoting common development, and it will further carry out reform and opening-up and advance the progress of the whole of humanity by taking the Chinese path to modernization.

China's new development will bring new opportunities for the world and provide predictability amid the turbulent international situation, he added.

Wang urged the US side to substantively read and research the report to the 20th CPC National Congress if it "really wants to understand China".

China's internal and external policies are open and transparent, its strategic intention has no hidden agenda, and Washington should no longer view China with arbitrary judgement or be misled by ideological prejudice, Wang added.

Blinken said the world anticipates cooperation between the US and China.

Washington is willing to maintain communication with Beijing over the bilateral ties, carry out cooperation and discuss the basis of the two countries' relations, he said.

Su Xiaohui, deputy director of the China Institute of International Studies' Department of American Studies, said, "Obsessed with its leadership in the world, the US has been gearing up its alignment with partners based on ideology and values while dealing with what it calls challenges by China and competition with China."

Given China's development and progress in recent years, China is still moving ahead despite Washington's increasing hostility, which shows that no country can effectively contain China, she added.

"Recently, we have seen some US allies demonstrating strategic autonomy, and it is impossible for the US to forge powerful encirclement to suppress China in a rapid manner," Su said.